Recent
years have seen the emergence of astonishingly effective new therapies for psychological
disturbances – and although there has been much media publicity, 'energy
psychology' is still unknown to many psychologists working in the mental health
field. A very brief summary of the history and development of this group of
approaches is as follows. Chiropractic was combined with principles from
acupuncture, giving rise to kinesiology (1970s and 80s), an approach that used
muscle testing to reveal disturbances in the body's energy field and states of
ill health in particular organs of the body. A pioneering psychiatrist, John
Diamond, then began to apply kinesiology to psychological problems (since the
1980s). One of his students, a clinical psychologist called Roger Callahan,
adapted this approach, devising sequences of acupressure tapping for particular
psychological problems; he called this 'thought field therapy' (developed
during the 1990s). A simplification of this was developed by Callahan's
student, Gary Craig, called 'The Emotional Freedom Technique' (see www.emofree.com). Over the same period a whole
variety of other, somewhat lesser known, approaches were developed. British
developments can be found at www.theamt.com,
www.emotrance.com, and www.passionforhealth.com.
The emerging research suggests that these methods are very effective indeed,
extremely rapid, and thoroughly gentle.

In
my own practice, although I am a psychoanalyst and still do a small amount of
traditional analytic therapy, these days I mostly prefer to treat people using
energy methods, often combined with EMDR. I have concluded that therapies based
purely on talk, whether psychoanalytic or cognitive, simply do not work very
well, although they may be helpful to a degree in providing insight or in
illuminating recurrent constellations of cognition and emotion. The basic
principle is that emotional experience appears to become patterned into the
body's energy system. When the energy system is stimulated, while the person
thinks of the trauma or troubling emotion, then this patterning is released –
usually very rapidly. In purely talk-based therapies, by contrast, the
patterning in the energy system is unchanged, with the result that the affect
tends just to be shunted around the psychosomatic system and never
fundamentally resolved. This does not mean that the knowledge and expertise of
traditional therapies are irrelevant, but these become enormously more
effective when combined with energy methods.

Because
the field is so new, it is not easy for newcomers to orient themselves amongst
the bewildering spectrum of unfamiliar approaches, terms and concepts. A
structured learning process is often not easily found. This is where Energy
Psychology Interactive, a book and CD, is of immense value. David Feinstein is
a clinical psychologist, who became aware of these approaches through being
married to Donna Eden, a well-known figure in Energy Medicine. In consultation
with 25 other leaders in the field of energy psychology, Feinstein has written
a comprehensive, clear, and sophisticated guide to theory and practice,
covering virtually all known aspects of these approaches. Thus the reader is
taken systematically through the sequence of energy checking, tests and
treatments for 'neurological disorganisation' and 'psychological reversals',
the principles of meridian energy treatments, discussion of the nature of
subtle energy, and extensive reviews of relevant research. Principles of
ethics, informed consent, and the limitations of energy approaches are
considered. A preliminary study is reported, involving many double blind trials
in South America, with 31,400 patients over a 14-year period. The results
showed greater and much more rapid improvements in those patients treated with
energy methods, compared to those treated with CBT. Although these kinds of
results are remarkable (but exactly what those of us who use the methods have
come to expect), the book is written in a sober, critical and thoughtful style.

One
of the most interesting features of energy methods is the identification of
'psychological reversal', whereby a person's energy runs contrary to the
conscious intention. In addition normal values will be reversed, so that the
body registers good as bad, and vice versa. This is similar to the psychoanalytic
notion of negative therapeutic reaction, but seems to me a more useful concept
– especially since it can be corrected quite simply. Another unusual idea is
that of 'neurological disorganisation', involving subtle forms of incoherence
and imbalance between different parts of the nervous system. Unless this
disorganization is corrected, using simple exercises, the energy treatment will
not work.

The
main book is included on the accompanying CD, which is also packed with
additional information. The CD is interactive and contains numerous video clips
showing different exercises and therapeutic procedures, as well as a variety of
charts and client-handouts. Also available is a valuable self-help guide for
use by patients. Of particular importance is the way this package does not
simplify the field, nor promote just one energy method. It is perhaps worth
noting that on the back cover of the book is an endorsement by leading trauma
researcher, Bessel van der Kolk (amongst a number of other distinguished
authorities). As well as his deep knowledge of the human energy system,
Feinstein's background in clinical psychology is readily apparent, in his
intelligent, balanced, scientific, and responsible approach to an exciting and
rapidly developing realm.

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